Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 102 Part 1.djvu/249

 PUBLIC LAW 100-297—APR. 28, 1988

102 STAT. 211

"SEC. 1562. NATIONAL DIFFUSION NETWORK ACTIVITIES.

"(a) PURPOSES.—The National Diffusion Network shall be a national program that recognizes and furthers excellence in education by— "(1) promoting the awareness and implementation of exemplary educational programs, products, and practices to interested elementary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions throughout the Nation; and "(2) promoting the utilization of the knowledge, talents, and services of local staff associated with various educational excellence recognition efforts. The National Diffusion Network shall be designed to improve the quality of education through the implementation of promising and validated innovations and improvements in educational programs, products, and practices, and through the provision of training, consultation, and related assistance services. "(b) RESPONSIBILITIES OF SECRETARY.—In carrying out the activi-

ties under this section, which shall be limited to activities directly related to the National Diffusion Network, the Secretary shall— "(1) acquaint persons responsible for the operation of elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools with information about exemplary educational programs, products, practices, and services; "(2) assist such persons in implementing programs, products, and practices which such persons determine may improve the quality of education in the schools for which they are responsible, by providing materials, initial training, and ongoing implementation assistance; "(3) ensure that all such activities, programs, products, and practices are subjected to rigorous evaluation with respect to their effectiveness and their capacity for implementation; "(4) provide program development assistance toward the recognition, dissemination, and implementation of promising practices that hold the potential for answering critical needs and that have achieved credibility because of their effective use in schools; and "(5) ensure that a substantial percentage of the innovations disseminated represent significant changes in practice for schools and teachers. In carrying out paragraph (3) of this section, the Secretary shall conduct a single external review by a program effectiveness panel that focuses exclusively on whether the program is efficacious and transferable to other educational settings. Any activity, program, product, or practice which meets the criteria of the preceding sentence may then be disseminated through the National Diffusion Network, and each eligible recipient (as described in subsection (c)) may apply for assistance in accordance with subsection (d). "(c) EuGiBLE RECIPIENTS OF GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.—For the

purpose of carrying out the activities under this section, the Secretary is authorized to make grants to, and contracts with, local educational agencies, State educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and other public and private nonprofit educational institutions and organizations. "(d) FUNDING CRITERIA.—(1) For the purpose of determining which projects to fund under this section, the Secretary shall assess the extent to which the projects meet the following criteria:

20 USC 2962.

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